


one in a million (but these bitches special)

by Boardingschooled



Series: (this is) the good life [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fraternity, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Fraternities & Sororities, Gen, Gross Hot, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, Safer Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 09:53:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20598827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boardingschooled/pseuds/Boardingschooled
Summary: “God,finally, I thought I was gonna have to break into Yew again to make sure Billy didn’t black widow you or something,” Barb’s complaining, and in the background Nancy’s laughing herI’m very stonedlaugh, the one where she sounds like she’s got very fast hiccups. “Get over here, bring all your horrible ugly polo shirts, we gotta figure out what we’re wearing for the Girl Talk show. Bring whatever of your shorts are the eighties-est and I guess some jorts just in case nothing else works.”“Barb, are you implying thatanyof my clothes are, like, eighties-themed?” Steve asks. “Also, like, did you getjumped inas a KD sweetheart or something, who the hell are all these girls in the groupchat?”Or: Steve and Barb have the True Row Week Experience(TM)





	one in a million (but these bitches special)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sightetsound](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sightetsound/gifts).

> Hi dear, lovely friends! Welcome to some more feverishly-written frat!au. I do have a couple things to warn for, but they're pretty minor/background. 
> 
> WARNING for HOMOPHOBIA: Offscreen, somebody says something pretty fucking homophobic to one of the characters; I don't use any homophobic language in the actual fic, but there is a reference to the d-slur and there's some discussion of how it affects the characters afterwards.
> 
> WARNING for MINOR OFFSCREEN VIOLENCE: The aforementioned homophobic asshole gets his lights punched out by a character, but it's also only referred to, not directly described. 
> 
> One little thing to define: A GDI is a God-Damn Independent, or somebody who isn't in a frat/srat. It's kind of a pejorative term, but not really. Mostly it just gets used to poke fun at non-greek-life people, especially if they have a lot of friends who are in greek life.  
See y'all at the end for more notes!!!

“-eve, wake up,” Billy’s whispering in his ear. Steve’s warm and sleepy and somebody’s in his bed making everything smell good, and to be honest, he isn’t _ ready _ to wake up, so he curls into his pillow, keeps his eyes closed in protest. Billy smooths his hand over Steve’s back, gently and then a little harder, until Steve finally has to grumble his disapproval and squirm away from Billy’s hand. 

“Sorry, princess, I didn’t wanna leave without saying bye.” Billy’s voice is low and gravelly, like he’s still half-asleep, too. Steve opens one eye, then the other, looks at Billy crouched next to the bed all sleep-rumpled and smiling and wants to kiss him. Finally, what Billy’s actually _ saying _ processes through his sleep-stupid brain. 

“Where you going?” Steve croaks. Billy’s smile widens, and he sits up, presses a kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth. 

“I gotta go get our wristbands from Matty and get ready and shit, and I’m probably gonna end up pregaming with everybody at the house before we all meet up.”

“We all?” Steve asks, sitting up on his elbows, the better to look at Billy stretching one arm over his head and scratching his abs with his free hand, to droll over all that tanned, smooth skin stretched tight over muscle.

“You and me and Barb and Robin and a bunch of other people, I couldn’t figure out everybody in the groupchat somebody made.” Billy shrugs, pulls on his sweats.

“Huh, okay,” Steve says through a yawn. “Gimme a _ real _ kiss before you leave, though.”

Billy smiles, pulls on a shirt Steve _ knows _ is his by how tight it is across Billy’s biceps even though he’s got two shirts here that are technically his own. Like, Billy could be a little _ more _ obvious about his sweet little possessive streak, but Steve’s not really sure _ how_. Steve pushes himself up straight to meet Billy’s mouth for a searing kiss, falls back into his pillow all dramatic when Billy pulls away reluctantly. 

“Bye, sleepyhead,” Billy laughs, and as he’s turning the door handle, Steve remembers something suddenly. 

“Hey, B?” he says, and Billy looks back all lascivious, like _ what can I do for you? _ “Uh, just--I wanna _ hang out _ after the show, so, uh, maybe stick to beer?” Steve doesn’t really know how to say _ I want you to fuck me so good I cry later, so don’t get too fucked up _ in a less delicate way, but if the way Billy bites his lip and fucking, like, _ smolders _ over at him is any indication, Billy gets it. 

“Piss beer only, baby,” Billy leers as he lets himself out. 

* * *

  


Steve only sleeps for another half an hour, until the buzzing of his phone tangled somewhere in his covers can’t be ignored any longer. When he stands up from the bed to try to find it, his phone falls to the floor. After a brief celebratory dance when he picks it up and the screen’s not cracked, he starts clearing out his notifications. 

Barb calls again while he’s trying to clear his missed calls, so he picks up, puts her on speaker while he starts scrolling up to the top of this new, giant group message to see what all the fuss is about. 

“God, _ finally, _ I thought I was gonna have to break into Yew again to make sure Billy didn’t black widow you or something,” Barb’s complaining, and in the background Nancy’s laughing her _ I’m very stoned _ laugh, the one where she sounds like she’s got very fast hiccups. “Get over here, bring all your horrible ugly polo shirts, we gotta figure out what we’re wearing for the Girl Talk show. Bring whatever of your shorts are the eighties-est and I guess some jorts just in case nothing else works.”

“Barb, are you implying that _ any _ of my clothes are, like, eighties-themed?” Steve asks. “Also, like, did you get _ jumped in_ as a KD sweetheart or something, who the hell are all these girls in the groupchat?”

“Oh my _ god_, fuck _off,_ no, you and I and maybe Nancy are gonna go pregame over at Rivka’s, and Rivka is Robin’s big and the other people in the chat are _ also _ part of the _ big _ thing and no I don’t know what any of it means so _ please _ don’t ask, we can make them explain it later. Also, like, _ your mom sends you a new pastel polo shirt every month,_ yeah, some of your clothes are a little eighties, alright?” The eighties are coming back, Steve tries to remind himself, and his clothes are _ cool_, like, he’s gotten so much better at thrifting since he and Barb became friends, so she can _ fuck off_. 

“Alright, give me a fucking minute,” Steve huffs. “Just that stuff, right, nothing else?”

“Well, I mean, _ weed_,” Barb sighs, like she’s disappointed. “We have to bring a hostess gift, we’re not _ animals_.” 

“Oh my _ god_, okay. You’re lucky I was already gonna meet up with Savannah on Monday to re-up, you know that, right?” He throws Billy’s shirt back on, wiggles into whatever shorts are closest to him, starts sifting through all the clothes on his floor to find the most eighties stuff in his closet. 

“Yeah yeah yeah, just think of it as payback for all the times I’ve listened to your Big Gay Problems, dude. Get your skinny little butt over here ASAP,” Barb lectures, then there’s the sound of someone(s) blowing a kiss and hanging up.

Steve skims through the rest of the groupchat to make sure he isn’t missing anything (he isn’t, other than an _ incredible _ mirror selfie of Billy in a cropped t-shirt, these terrible-wonderful magenta and teal shorts, and tube socks, hair pulled up into a loose bun at the top of his head. Steve knows that little bun, has seen it unravel during tests and long nights at the library and _ wanted_, has resisted the urge to tuck back the curls that come loose for so long that he can barely handle the idea of doing it now.) He saves the photo to his phone, sends Billy a kissyface emoji or six in their personal text thread, and gets to work sorting his clothes.

If they’re going for _ rich eighties movie bully_, they’ll have an embarrassing amount of choices, if Steve’s being honest with himself. The problem is that dudes’ clothes haven’t _ changed _ that much, like, there’s only so wild that rich kid fashion can get. His mom’s been buying him and his dad the same J. Crew sweaters and Polo shirts for like _ fifteen years_, like, ever since Gap started their kids line, his mom’s been using him to flaunt their wealth. 

Steve puts a little effort into his hair, makes sure his cowlick is acting right and shit, before he heads to Barb and Nancy’s apartment, backpack stuffed with clothes. Their place is _ tiny _ for a two bedroom and maybe-probably not quite structurally sound, but it’s right off campus and it only costs like seven hundred a month, which is _ unheard of _ around here, so they put up with the mold. 

“What’s _ up_, fucker!” Barb yells at him when he opens their door. Barb’s got the door to her shoebox of a room open so she can see the main area of the apartment, sorting through her clothes, and Nancy and Jonathan are in the kitchen. 

“Jesus, _ hi_, looks like somebody’s excited about tonight,” he answers, and Nancy rinses her hands off and comes to give him a hug. “How are you two, then? I figure I’m gonna hear about Barb whether or not I ask.”

“We’re good,” Jonathan volunteers, waving hello with the paring knife he’s using to chop what looks like potatoes. “Excited to have the house to ourselves tonight for a while.” He’s got on that secret little smile he gets whenever he and Nancy are planning on scening, and if Steve knows Nancy, she’s got big plans for him. He remembers, vaguely, the endorphin rush from some of the things they did, remembers having a good time just about every time, but it’s not _ grounding _ for Steve like it is for Nancy and Jonathan, isn’t something that he can’t do without in his sex life. He’s glad they have each other, even if he _ does _ still give her shit about how quickly she moved on sometimes. It’s all in good fun, really. 

“We’re gonna take advantage of the empty house,” Nancy whisper-yells, as if it’s a secret to anyone anymore. “Have a little, uh, _ us-time_.” 

“Nance, I love you and I love Jonathan but if I have to hear you explain this scene again I’m gonna poke my own eyes out, _ please_,” Barb grouses from the other room. “Just, like, tell Steve what you two are making for dinner or what you thought about Robin, _ anything_.” 

“Sorry, Barbs, I keep forgetting,” Nancy calls. “Not trying to involve you in the scene, sorry!” 

“I’m, like, _ very stoned_, I don’t know if you can tell,” Nancy murmurs in Steve’s general direction. “I had to detox to pass that drug test for the internship I’m doing at the health department since it’s, like, _ government _ or whatever, but I did and we’re good, so Jonathan brought me a big-ass blunt to celebrate with.” Nancy likes to think she’s a very subtle stoner, but her pupils are _ huge _ and she’s more touchy than usual and her brain-to-mouth filter is _ gone_, like, even if she _ wasn’t _one of Steve’s people he would know. 

“I’m glad you’re having a good time,” he nods along with her, shifting his shoulders to see if he can get out of Nancy’s octopus grip. “What _ are _ you guys cooking, though? It smells _ awesome_.” 

“Uh, Nancy and I watched some _ Bon Appetit _ videos earlier and she decided she wanted to make beef Wellington, so here we are, I guess.” Jonathan shrugs, gestures to the countertop crowded with mixing bowls and ingredients like _ why _ wouldn’t _ we be making Gordon Ramsey’s favorite dish on a Saturday night? _

“I just love Chris Morocco _ so much_,” Nancy sighs all dreamy, and Jonathan laughs, rolls his eyes. 

“Nance, let Steve come all the way in the house, you’re crowding him,” Jonathan suggests, and she finally lets go of Steve. 

“Steeb, bring your stuff in here,” Barb orders, and Steve does. “Holy _ shit_, is that Billy’s shirt, you little shacker!” She looks all self-satisfied and happy, and he only blushes a little, thinking about how every so often he’ll catch Billy’s scent on the fabric when he moves around. She starts pulling stuff out of his bag, folding his shirts in a reflex she can’t get rid of from the brief time she’d worked at JC Penney last summer. 

“Bitch it might be,” he jokes. “So how great was your long-ass lesbian date thing? I can’t believe you two are already on, like, the same dating level as Billy and I are already, like, you’re _ such _ a u-haul lesbian right now.” 

“It was great, _ she’s _ great, thanks for asking, and I can’t help it if I’m better at putting the moves on somebody than you or Billy are, asshole. Here, put these on.” She hands him a pair of salmon-colored shorts that she’s cuffed _ twice_, like, has she _ forgotten _ that he needs room for the family jewels? “Oh, also Jonathan apparently _ knows her_, isn’t that fucking crazy?” 

“It’s not _ that _ weird if you think about it,” Steve muses as he looks at himself in her full-length mirror. The shorts are _ way short_, but they look surprisingly good, somehow. Barb’s tangled in an aqua polo, and when finally she pokes her head out of the neck hole, she glares at him. 

“Okay, you might be right. But, like, she’s the coolest girl I’ve ever met and I had _ no idea she existed _ until Billy decided to _ wingman her _ or whatever, just let me wallow in what could have never been!” Barb’s got a flair for the dramatic when she’s stoned, and Steve listens to her chatter about how great Robin is and how _ cool _ some band they saw last night was and how _ weird _ sororities are from his perch on her bed as she tries on and rejects one outfit after another.

“Nance,” Barb asks from her doorway, “Are you coming with us to pregame or not? I know you don’t _ technically _ have to dress up, but I’m not letting you be the only one who isn’t dressed for the theme in the photos and stuff.” 

“Ummm...nah,” Nancy considers for a second before she answers. “I gotta sober up if we’re gonna scene later, I got way higher than I thought.” She giggles, and very faintly Steve can hear the sound of her and Jonathan kissing. 

“Okay, so there’s one less thing to worry about. Steve, here, wear this one.” She passes him a white polo, and once he’s got it on she pops his collar, nods like she’s satisfied. “Nice, okay, so how do we feel about these shorts?” They’re _ amazing _ for the theme, really, an ugly pink floral pattern that’s probably the most femme thing he’s seen Barb wear in a while and boxy and weirdly high-waisted in that way eighties shorts are sometimes. 

“You look like the best camp counselor _ ever_, you _ have to _wear that!” Nancy yells from the kitchen. “Like, you look like you would let your cabin stay up past lights out and there’s a rumor that one time somebody saw you kissing the counselor from cabin eight after lights out.” 

“Yeah, they’re very _ camp counselor_, but, like, they’re sick as _ fuck_,” Steve agrees, and Barb nods, looks herself over in the mirror again.

“Very fair. The green polo with it, you think?” Barb’s holding up a polo that’s the _ exact _ color of the stems of the flowers on her shorts, and he gives her a thumbs up, nods enthusiastically. 

His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he digs it out to see that Billy’s sent _ ik no liquor, but weed y/n?? _ It takes Steve a second to figure out what Billy means, but when he does he sends back _ stoned sex is gr8_. 

“Great, cool,” Barb says as she pulls it on. “We gotta go soon though, it’s already six and I wanna get something to eat before we meet up with Robin so I’m not drinking on an empty stomach.” Billy texts back a bunch of thumbs up emojis, and Steve has to stop himself from sending back a bunch of heart-eyes emojis.

“Want me to make y’all quesadillas?” Nancy offers, sounding excited. Last year, when she’d started smoking weed more, she’d gone on this, like, _ quesadilla quest_, trying to figure out the perfect recipe. She’s, like, _ super _ protective of the recipe, even though Steve’s pretty sure it’s just a regular quesadilla with a crust of cheese on the outside. Steve’s phone lights up with an insta notification; Billy’s DMed him a photo of a beer pong table with some artsy filter on it. _ Reigning champ of TKE_, says the little caption in the corner. Steve sends back a picture of Barb’s bed covered in pastels and prints, captions it _ getting dressed with The Gays_.

“Yeah, thanks, Nance,” Steve answers for the both of them, moving into the living room to get his important shit together. “You know you’re my _ real mom_, ‘cause you make the best snacks.” Barb laughs at the mean little look Nancy gives him, all wrinkled nose and grumpy eyebrows. 

“_I__ know_,” Nancy says back all snippy. “Jonathan, will you cut me up a bell pepper?” Jonathan sighs, rolls his eyes, but he’s already reaching for the fridge door. 

  


* * *

  


Robin’s _ really _ fucking cool, or at least that’s the opinion of her Steve gathers on the short walk to her friend’s apartment. She’s all deadpan funny and _ super _ nice and when Barb isn’t looking at her, she smiles all wide and a little crooked in Barb’s general direction like she's lovestruck. It makes Steve feel _ almost _ as fuzzy inside to watch them flirt tentatively and link pinkies and shit as he feels when he thinks about the kiss Billy pressed to his forehead before he left earlier. 

“So I _ think _ it’s just gonna be us and my KD fam,” Robin’s saying to Barb when Steve focuses back on the conversation. “And Billy, if he can get away from the rest of the TKEs.”

“So, like, can you explain how the family thing works?” Steve cuts in as Barb’s nodding over at Robin. “Like, I understand pledging kinda, but I don’t really get the _ big-little _ stuff.” 

“Okay, yeah. I mean, it’s really not _ that _ different from the way the frats do it, they just place less emphasis on certain parts. So, like, once you pledge a srat you hang out with all the girls, obviously, and you get to know some of the older sisters. After a few months, the older sisters pick a pledge they want to, like, mentor kinda?” Robin looks down dubiously, bites her lip like she’s trying to think. “Or, like, you basically pick somebody you want to hang out with more and be kinda responsible for, if that makes sense? Like, once you have a little it’s your job to make sure that they’re doing okay in classes and help them figure out parties and shit, like, you’re basically their big sister. So that’s where the ‘big’ and ‘little’ terms come from.” Robin makes super cheesy quotation marks, and Barb laughs a little, wrinkles her nose. 

“And so obviously, like, over time _that little family grows,_” Robin’s voice goes all fake-oblivious, sounds like she’s making fun of all the sorority stereotypes a little. “Like, I’m Rivka’s little because she picked me my freshman year when I was pledging, but I have my _ own _ little now, Kali, and Rivka is _ Gemma’s _ little, and because we’re all still super close, it’s kinda stupid to have to say ‘Gemma is my big’s big’ or whatever, so somebody came up with grandbigs and shit. So like, Gemma is my grandbig and she’s Kali’s _ great_-grandbig, if that makes sense?” It doesn’t, really, but it’s at least _ a little _ less mystifying, so Steve nods like _ sure_.

“There’s like, aunts and cousins and shit too but our chapter doesn’t want there to be a whole lot of those because it means not every big gets a little and a twin little might not get enough support or whatever.” She waves away the idea like it’s not important, and Steve nods even though he only really has about half an understanding of what she means.

“So basically,” Barb starts, “Every sophomore member picks a freshman pledge and then you’re a part of their family?” 

“Yeah, in the simplest terms,” Robin grimaces a little. “Sorry, it’s hard trying to explain srat stuff sometimes, it almost feels like I’m speaking another language.” Her laugh is awkward and kind of embarrassed, and Barb reaches out to tangle their hands together properly. 

“No worries, we both got it. Shit’s complicated,” Barb reassures her; Steve feels like the world’s biggest third wheel seeing the fond look they share. Robin’s led them to an apartment door, and she turns the knob and opens the door without knocking first. 

Smashmouth is playing pretty loud from some speaker somewhere, _ the water’s getting warm so you might as well swim_, and it pretty much looks like every shitty off-campus apartment, an open floor plan kitchen and living room with hallways on either side. There’s three girls leaning against the kitchen counter, all turned to see who’s at the door.

“HI, NEW FRIENDS,” one of the girls shrieks, starts towards the door. “Come in, shut the door behind you quickish, my across-the-way neighbor is an _ asshole _ and he likes to call the cops when I have guests.” She’s short and curvy, with a riot of dark curly hair and a wide smile. 

“Okay but, to be fair, you _ did _ have a huge party here like once a month when you first moved in, so…” another dark-haired girl suggests, looks young in the way that freshman do as she lifts her cup to her mouth. The other girl in the room, tall with dark skin and electric-purple box braids, chokes off a laugh and gives the first girl a look like _ she isn’t wrong, you know_. 

“Alright, alright, be nice to the GDIs,” Robin says, herding Steve and Barb into the living room and gesturing at each of the other girls in turn. “The loud one is Rivka, the grumpy one is Kali, and the cool one is Gemma.” There are twin noises of outrage from Rivka and Kali, and Robin laughs along with Gemma, leans over to give her a high-five. 

“I invite you into my _ home_, I give you _ booze_, I bring you into this _ family _ and _this_ is the thanks you give me?!” Rivka complains as she pulls Robin into a hug. 

“Whatever, you wouldn’t’ve picked me as your little if you didn’t think I was cool,” Kali grumbles, rolling her eyes. 

“Well, yeah, but I have to differentiate between the three of you somehow, _ shit_, it’s not my fault Gemma’s the coolest,” Robin bitches back. “We brought weed, courtesy of Steve and Barb.” She points to him and then Barb, as if it’s not obvious who’s who. Steve pulls the baggie out of his pocket, waves it around like some kinda treasure. 

“Oh, nice, thanks, dude,” Rivka says, going in to pull Barb into a hug. “Oh shit, sorry, are you a hugger? I am, but I always forget to ask if other people are.” 

“Sure,” Barb says a little awkward, and Rivka wraps her up, squeezes until Barb makes a surprised little squeak. Steve cracks up, and soon he and Robin and Kali are laughing while Barb and Rivka both smile and blush. He holds his own arms out for a hug, and Rivka bro-hugs him, smacks him on the back a little too hard. 

“So you’re the one Billy’s been all _ weird _ about for forever, then,” Kali says all bored, looks him up and down all calculating. He’s kind of afraid of her, like, she seems like she could ruin somebody’s _ life _ if she wanted to. “Yeah, that seems about right. You wanna throw in for this bowl?” She holds up a grinder, smiles like she doesn’t do it often but she’s trying to practice, and he wanders over to shove a couple nugs in. 

“Who wants a drink? I can already tell you that the Phi Delts are only gonna have, like, Natty Light and some shitty jungle juice that’ll turn you blind, so we’d better get drunk enough now that I don’t care when we get there.” Gemma’s lining up cups of ice while she talks. “I’ve got vodka, gin, rum, uhhh, I think we still have some boxed wine in the fridge...” 

“Gems, will you make that thing you made us last week for movie night?” Robin asks, eyes lighting up. 

“Oh shit, the one with the Malibu and pineapple and stuff? Yeah, make that if I have the stuff for it, that was _s__o good_,” Rivka agrees. “You two okay with my throwback playlist?” She gestures towards the speaker on the tv stand. “I can change it if you want.”

“No, this is _ perfect_,” Barb says, humming along to _ Two Princes_. “Perfect pregame music.” They all get comfortable on the couch after Gemma makes them a pitcher of something so strong that Steve has to cut it with Sprite so he’s not worried about later with Billy. They pass around a pipe and play King’s Cup for a while, getting steadily tipsier while Aaron Carter and the Spice Girls serenade them. Steve has to finish his drink when he loses at Never Have I Ever, and Rivka hunts up most of a six-pack of PBR in the fridge so he can keep playing. 

_ 5 min away, _ Billy texts the group chat, and Kali crows with excitement, looks up from where she’s reloading the bowl.

“Oh, _ shit_, Hargrove’s almost here! Where’s your phone, Rivets? I gotta queue something on Spotify,” Kali asks, making grabby hands at Rivka until Rivka tosses her phone over the coffee table. Kali’s got this smirk on her face Steve already knows can only mean bad news, and Gemma peeks over her shoulder, huffs out a laugh at whatever she’s doing. 

“Kali, he’s _ actually _ gonna try to fight you if you keep doing this,” Robin warns, but she’s laughing a little too, hiding her smile in Barb’s neck. There’s a knock at the door and when Rivka leans over to open it, Billy’s on the other side, eyes droopy and smile predatory like he’s kinda stoned. He looks _ good_, like, even though he’s probably been drinking beer for a few hours straight at this point his abs are still cut as hell, and his little baby hairs are loose around his face, haloed in the light. 

“Oh look, it’s all my favorite srat girls,” Billy says, swaggering through the door like he owns the fucking place. He puts his arms out like _ look at all my people_, stands in place like he’s waiting for them to _ admire him _ or something. He’s a fucking _ asshole_, Steve thinks to himself fondly as everybody talks over each other, giving Billy shit for being Like That™. Steve looks his fill, though, at the way the setting sun softens Billy’s edges, at how thick his thighs are. 

“Okay, big boy, shut the fuckin’ door behind you and your giant ego,” Rivka chides over everybody else, rolling her eyes. Steve can _ feel _ Gemma and Robin and Kali watching him stare as Billy stalks over, realizes distantly that they’re probably gonna roast the shit out of him later, if they’re anything like Barb and Nancy. He doesn’t really mind, though, especially when Billy throws himself on the couch next to him and drops his arm over Steve’s shoulders. 

“Billy,” Kali says, all fake-breezy, “I queued up your favorite song, should be up next.” Billy sits up to narrow his eyes at her, and she puffs up too, smirks like she’s dangerous. Everybody goes quiet for a second as _ Genie in a Bottle _ ends and the next song starts. 

_ Baby get low cause I already am / starin’ through her skirt like I’m Superman_, some guy raps, and Billy makes a pissy face at Kali, tries to look threatening but mostly just manages to look like he’s dropped a contact or something.

“Fuck _ off_, Prasad,” he grunts. “I’m _ five foot nine_, like, I’m _ not that short_.” Kali cackles, and everybody else joins in. Steve has to pinch himself to keep from cracking up, but he manages to keep a mostly straight face as Billy postures and some guy sings _ I’m five foot somethin’ but my bills all paid_. Finally, Gemma ends Kali and Billy’s standoff by taking Kali’s phone and skipping to the next song, _ ladies leave your man at home, the club’s fulla ballers and their pockets all grown_. Billy and Kali narrow their eyes at each other, then lean out and tap knuckles, nodding. 

“Billy and Kali are like two junkyard dogs, they have to fight for dominance whenever they see each other,” Robin jokes, and Rivka launches into a story about how one time the two of them made some asshole cry at a frat party. Billy relaxes back, butts in to correct Rivka about what _ exactly _ he said about the guy’s sexual prowess.

“Not that I’m not _ loving _ this Billy Hargrove-Kali Prasad storytime,” Gemma puts in when Rivka finishes her story, “But we probably gotta go if we’re gonna get a good spot in line.” They finish out the bowl fast, and Billy and Rivka shotgun the last two PBRs over her kitchen sink. She beats him, and he pretends to square up to make everybody laugh. 

Waiting for the gate to open at the Phi Delt house _ sucks_, especially because it’s about seven hundred thousand degrees even though the sun’s supposed to be setting and there’s like _ no shade_. 

“_God_, I know they needed a nicer house, their old one was a _shithole_, but, like, did they have to cut down _ every single tree on their property _ to do it? _ Fuck_,” Rivka complains as they all stand around in a ragged little circle, waiting for the gate to open. Kali and Barb _ both _ have dab pens, apparently, and they keep passing them around the circle, everyone getting stoned as hell. Gemma has one of those big-ass Hydroflasks, and after she lets the cop that’s stationed outside the fence do a smell check to make sure it’s just water, they all pass that around too, trying to stay at least a little hydrated.

It’s really too fucking _ hot _ to be touching each other, if he’s being honest, but Billy wraps an arm around Steve and hooks his thumb under Steve’s waistband and Steve lets him, obviously. They’re all gonna be sweaty as _ fuck _ by the end of the night anyways, probably, so what does it matter if he can feel the beads of sweat running down his spine? Gemma and Rivka and Kali are all torn between gently teasing Billy and Robin about being _ gross _ and greeting all the people they know who get in line. 

They get somebody to take about six _ hundred _ photos of them, in various groups and couples and shit; there’s a brief moment where Kali and Robin and Rivka and Gemma basically stack themselves vertically, Kali kneeling while Rivka climbs on Robin’s back and Gemma stands on tippy-toes to be in the frame, in which Steve worries that there’s gonna be some kind of collapse and they’re all gonna roll down the hill they’re standing on. They’ve clearly done this pose plenty, though, and once their impromptu photo session’s over, Robin sends them all to the groupchat to make the inevitable Instagram posts easier to coordinate. 

The photos all look very _ greek life_, but the cool kind of greek life, the kind of photos that give people FOMO. Billy tags him in a photo, and when he clicks the notification, it’s a couple photos of the two of them, one where they’re trying to look good, both smoldering at the camera, and one where they’re laughing at each other’s smolders, arms tight around each other’s waists. The caption is simple, _ (sun emoji) you feel like summertime (sun emoji) // p.c.: @robblerobble_. It makes Steve’s head spin, kinda, especially since he’s kind of a fucking _ creep _ and knows that Billy doesn’t make actual posts very often, prefers to keep shit in his stories instead. It feels like it _ means something_, as stupid and high school bullshit as that sounds. Billy’s pledge comes by to give everybody daps and nods, a leggy blonde in high-cut jean shorts and a ripped up Motley Crue shirt waving from behind him. 

“Good on Shorty,” Kali says like she’s impressed, after they wander out of earshot, heading towards the back of the line. “She’s hot as _ shit _.” 

“Yeah, she was at the TKE pregame last night and kept making eyes at him,” Billy agrees. “I wingmanned him, looks like he got right on his game.” He sounds proud, and Steve snorts out a laugh.

“_God_, don’t tell me you’re teaching him all your fuckboy secrets,” Kali groans. “I have to have _ some _ frat guy I can bring to formals, he’s almost decent right now.” 

“I mean, if I teach him all my _ secrets_,” Billy says all sly, “He’ll _ basically _ be me, right? And you like me.” 

“Sometimes I really fucking regret telling you that you’re not the worst ever,” Kali rolls her eyes. “And he’s not _ nearly _ as charming as you, dude, he can’t get away with _ shit_.” 

“I mean, I _ am _ the most charming person in the world,” Billy smirks, and Robin lets go of Barb’s hand to smack them both on the arm, mostly gentle. 

“Be nice to each other, kids, or I’ll make Gemma pull out her _ teacher voice_,” Robin threatens, and both of them drop it, baring their teeth in fake-hostile smiles before they both burst into stoned giggles. 

“I’ve _ gotta _ hear the teacher voice,” Barb puts in, and everybody else gives her a significant look, like _ no you really don’t_. Gemma straightens her back, puts on a fake-looking smile before anyone can stop her. 

“Can you use your _ kind words_, children, or do you need to go take a break until you’re ready to be kind?” Gemma’s got the voice down _ pat_, and it’s honestly a little scary. Steve nods before he can stop himself, and Barb does too. Everybody else cracks up, and Gemma breaks, flashes them a real grin. “I work at the campus daycare, and honestly the voice is helpful as shit even when I’m _ not _ working, like, I haven’t had a frat boy give me any shit at a party since I started using it on them.” They all laugh, and then there’s a brief moment of chaos when the line surges forward. 

“Here, Gem, Kali, I have your licenses,” Rivka says, pulling them out of her fanny pack. “Give ‘em back once we get in, though, I’m not wasting any more time at the goddamn DMV with you two.” 

Kali gets a smiley face sharpied on her left hand by an annoyed-looking Phi Delt pledge, but as soon as they’re all the way inside, Rivka passes her a wet wipe and a travel bottle of hand sanitizer. The mark’s gone before it even has a chance to dry fully. 

“Thanks, _ Mom_,” Kali says, and Rivka scrunches up her nose. 

“Don’t call me that, you little asshole,” Rivka complains all fond. “I just want to ensure that you have your best Row Week experience, you’re _ welcome _ for being the only prepared one of us. Robin, weren’t you a girl scout or something? _ Always be prepared _ or whatever, right?”

“I didn’t even make it past Brownies, Rivs,” Robin argues back, blushing. “And I was only in it so I could maybe kiss a girl at Girl Scout Camp, I only had merit badges in art shit.”

“Fucking _ nerd_,” Kali teases, and Robin gives her a noogie. 

“We’ll go find a spot,” Robin offers when she’s done tormenting Kali. “Who’s gonna go get beers and food for everybody? It’ll be better if we split up.” 

Steve and Billy get volunteered to go get food, since apparently Billy’s pissed off a few too many Phi Delts to get them to bend the _ one beer per person at a time _ rule. While they’re piling crawfish and chunks of potato and corn and sausage onto plates, Billy leans over and sets his teeth in Steve’s shoulder like a fucking _ weirdo_, doesn’t even bite down like Steve half-expects him to. Steve’s sweaty and gross and there’s _ no way _ he looks all that hot right now, but Billy just licks his lips and _ leers _ like he’s starving and Steve’s a four course meal. 

“Can’t _ wait _ till later,” he murmurs in Steve’s ear while Steve’s trying to get another mini-cob of corn to balance securely on top of a mountain of food, voice heated. “Wanna get my _ hands _ on you, _ fuck_.” Steve feels his ears heat up, bites his lip against the pleased smile on his face and knocks the corn back onto the table. 

“Me too,” Steve confesses as he’s pushed up against Billy, trying to get through the crowd to where Kali and Robin and Barb are waving them over. “You look _ so fucking hot_, like, I feel like somebody should throw water on you like that girl from _ Flashdance_.” It’s a stupid, stoned thing to say, he knows, but it’s true, and Billy throws his head back, laughs that big belly laugh.

“She’s a maniac, _ maniac _ on the floor,” Billy yells back towards Steve, and they finally push through to the little space the girls have carved in the crowd. “Kali, I know they don’t have anything that’s _ actually _ vegetarian, but I brought you a bunch of veggies.” 

“Oh, _ sick_, thanks, bro.” She takes the veggies-only plate, and Robin and Barb grab the other extra plates. Billy’s already sucking out the tail meat of a crawfish, somehow. Right when Steve’s getting thirsty from the spice, Rivka and Gemma pop into the last little bit of space around them, carrying armfuls of Natty Lights. 

“What did I _ fucking _ tell you, Natty Light’s the _ worst_,” Gemma complains as she pops tabs and passes out beers, but Steve’s sweating from the humidity and the heat and the spice of the food and the beer goes down surprisingly well. 

“Free beer is good beer, Miss Priss,” Billy says through a belch, and Rivka kicks at his shin, swallows her mouthful of sausage. 

“_Gross_, you garbage boy,” Robin says all haughty, has to stop to hide a burp halfway through her sentence. Barb laughs out loud at the irony, and Robin blushes at her all pretty. It’s cute as _ shit_, really, even when Kali pokes fun at them. 

The show starts a little bit after dark, and it’s fun as _ fuck_. The DJ mixes rap and a bunch of eighties pop and the whole crowd’s having a good time. Billy pulls him in close, but he doesn’t touch Steve like he had last night, doesn’t try to tease. Steve’s grateful, really, especially since they’re in a big group. Towards the end of the set, though, Billy slips his thumb back into Steve’s waistband, rubs the thin skin over his hipbone. Steve shivers a little, stoned enough to be turned on by a passing breeze _ anyway_, and Billy laughs, leans in to yell in his ear over Skee Lo rapping _ wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her _. 

“You _ cold_, baby?” he asks, all teasing, and Steve rolls his eyes, even though he knows Billy can’t see his face. “Or does that feel _ good? _ ” Even over the music Steve can hear the gravelly _ want _ in Billy’s voice, the challenge. Steve leans back, lets Billy take some of his weight, but doesn’t answer. Billy _ knows_, but, like, they’re with their friends, Steve’s not gonna let Billy tease him like he did last night when they’re this close to people they _know_. There’s no anonymity in this crowd, and so he doesn’t let himself melt into Billy. He does put one arm back to scratch at Billy’s scalp, feels the little moan Billy lets out reverberate in his own chest. 

“You wanna get outta here?” Steve asks, and Billy pulls away, nods rather than yelling over the music. Steve and Billy reach out at the same time to get the girls’ attention, and Billy jerks his head towards the exit like _ we’re going, bye_. 

“Go _ get some!_” Robin and Kali whoop, so in unison they must've practiced, and Steve laughs, lets Billy lead him through the crowd with a sweaty hand on the skin of his lower back, his polo rucked up around Billy’s wrist. 

“My roommate’s out tonight,” Billy rasps once they’re far enough from the Phi Delt house to actually hear each other talk; they had all been yelling along with the music, and Steve’s sure his voice sounds just as rough. “I got a blunt we can finish, if you want.” 

It’s cute, the way he looks at Steve from underneath his lashes like he has to convince Steve, as if Steve would _ ever _ say no to an offer like that. He bites his lip, overcome with all kinds of stupid dramatic _ feelings _ he shouldn't be having for a dude he’s slept with _ once_, and nods. 

“Sounds good, B,” he agrees, and Billy smiles big and wide and easy, links their hands. The TKE house is pretty empty, just a few guys here and there. 

“The guys who aren’t at the Phi Delt house are probably out on East,” Billy explains while they both guzzle water in the fancy kitchen. East Street’s where all the bars are, one-stop-shopping for partying college kids. 

“Oh, word,” Steve says, for lack of anything smarter to say.

“Glad I could get you a band,” Billy’s rubbing the back of his neck like he feels embarrassed or something. “Wouldn’t’ve been the same without you there.” He leads the two of them back towards his room, turns to press a kiss to Steve’s smile before he puts his keys in the lock. 

Billy sits on his bed, whips his shirt off and grabs an ashtray off his desk in one fluid motion. Steve can’t help but freeze, all of his brainpower focused on how _ good _ Billy looks, on the little curls hanging sweaty and limp around his face. 

“C’mere, pretty baby,” he orders, eyes wide and voice soft, and Steve’s, like, _ way weak _ to the way Billy’s looking at him, like he hung the moon or some shit. He locks the door behind him, crowds into Billy’s space on the bed and pulls out his lighter. Billy holds eye contact as Steve gets the blunt lit, gaze hungry as he takes a hit. Steve pushes even closer, licks the smoke out of Billy’s pretty, wet mouth. He pulls back, plucks the blunt out of Billy’s lax grip as he exhales. They smoke it fast, too focused on looking at each other to talk much, and as soon as it’s down to the filter Steve taps the ember out in the ashtray, puts everything on the desk next to him. He’s stoned as _ fuck_, and from the hazy look in Billy’s eyes, he is too.

“_Fuck_, you’re so hot,” Billy sighs, fisting his hands in Steve’s polo to pull him in for a kiss. Steve likes making out anyways, but when he’s stoned he could kiss somebody for _ hours_. Finally, his brain comes back online, reminds him that there are other things he could be doing with his mouth. 

“Lemme go down on you?” he whispers in the space between their mouths, and Billy _ groans_, low and long, before he nods. He reaches out, presses his thumb into the giant fucking hickey he left on Steve’s neck this morning. The shocky hit of pain and pleasure makes Steve melt a little, and he has to really _ try _ to focus on the task at hand. 

“Ok, come here.” Steve slides off the bed, shoves an extra pillow from the bed under his knees. He arranges Billy so he’s kneeling between Billy’s thighs. He starts to go for Billy’s waistband, decides to tease a little, first. He kisses his way up the inside of one thigh, then the other, huffs out an aroused laugh when Billy tries to squirm closer. 

“Be patient, babe,” he smiles up at Billy. He nips once at the ghost of a bruise right above the inside of Billy’s knee, hooks his fingers in Billy’s waistband and pulls off his shorts. They have to coordinate their movements to fully strip him down, and they both break into stoned giggles for a second when Billy’s cock springs free, bobbles a little in the cold air. 

Steve breathes hot over the head of Billy’s dick, leans in to put his mouth on Billy before he remembers something. Billy’s eyes flutter closed, fly back open when Steve doesn’t do anything. Steve wants to, like, _ wreck _ Billy, wants to make him burn with arousal the way Steve does whenever he looks at Billy for too long. 

“What do you like, B?” he murmurs, and Billy tips his head forward to look at him again. It takes Billy a second to focus on Steve’s face; he looks like one of those Renaissance paintings of ecstasy, plush mouth open just a little, eyelids low and heavy, muscles of his arms standing in sharp relief where he’s got his hands fisted in the covers. 

“_Anything_,” Billy pants, runs his fingers through Steve’s hair like he’s trying to calm himself down. “Like, I’m a little sensitive right around the head so be careful, but as long as you _ touch me _ before I, like, _ combust_, I don’t fucking _ care_.” Steve kind of wants to make him _ beg _ , but he decides to put Billy out of his misery instead. He can make Billy beg another time, when he can do it right, when they’re ready for that kind of shit, the kind of thing that can get _ heavy_.

He leans in, uses one hand to hold Billy’s dick steady as he licks a stripe up the side. Billy squirms so suddenly it’s like he’s flinching, and Steve wraps his free arm around one of Billy’s thighs to hold him in place. It’s been a while since he sucked a dick, but the movements come back easy, and he’s a little sloppier than usual, less suction than he normally would. It’s weirdly calming, going down on someone; he can turn off the anxious part of his brain for a while, just ride out the sensations and listen for the kind of noises that mean _ do that again, please_. 

Billy’s gasping out his name, muttering curses with his head thrown back, carding his hand through Steve’s hair, always moving _ somehow_. He’s squirmy as fuck, and once Steve finds his rhythm he holds Billy a little looser, lets him roll his hips more. 

He pulls back to catch his breath for a second, keeps his hand moving on Billy just to watch him enjoying himself. 

“You can, uh, you can fuck my face a little, if you want,” Steve offers, his voice _ shot _ from yelling and giving Billy head, and Billy, like, _ keens_, tightens his hand in Steve’s hair until it hurts, just a little. He looks down at Steve with wet eyes, smiles at him like he’s _ in love _ or something. When Steve sinks back down onto Billy, he puts his hot hand on the side of Steve’s neck, pets Steve’s cheek with his thumb, guides Steve down again and again. His thighs start to tighten around Steve’s head, tension coiling like he’s going to come, and Steve focuses back in, pulls out all the stops to make Billy lose it. 

“Fu-unh-_Steve_,” Billy grunts, tries to pull him off. Steve looks up at Billy, rolls his eyes like _ yeah right_, flutters his tongue against Billy’s shaft. Billy keens again, muscles going tense for a long second before he falls over the edge. Steve keeps his mouth moving, gentles him through it until Billy starts to squirm with discomfort. He pulls off then, wipes the spit off his chin with the back of his hand while Billy’s breathing slows back down.

“Come _ here_, baby, you’re _ so good_, jesus _ christ_,” Billy mumbles, pulls at Steve’s shirt to bring him up. He’d forgotten he was still dressed, if he’s being honest, and Billy frowns at him while he yanks his shirt over his head and shucks off his shorts. Billy wraps a possessive hand around his bicep, pulls him down onto the bed and into a heated kiss.

“Can I finger you?” Billy asks when he breaks their kiss to catch his breath. “I’ll make it _ so good_, baby, I _ promise_.” 

“Yeah,” Steve says, voice cracking, and Billy surges back up to kiss him again, uses all his bodybuilder bullshit strength to flip the two of them. He pins Steve, legs around Steve’s waist, and shoots him a satisfied little grin before he leans over to rummage in one of his drawers. He comes out with a bottle of lube and a glove. 

“It’s latex free, in case you’re allergic,” Billy says as he pulls on the glove. “Just cuts down on some of the clean up after, you know.” Steve takes a second to marvel at how even stoned out of his _ gourd _ Billy’s all focused on safe sex shit, and then Billy’s moving on top of him, rubbing lube between his gloved fingertips as he arranges himself between Steve’s legs. 

Billy puts his mouth on Steve first, licks at the head of his dick while he rubs a thick finger around Steve’s hole. Steve’s already so turned on he feels like he’s going to _ die_, and Billy’s gentle as he presses in, goes slow until Steve can’t help but shift his hips down onto Billy’s finger, until it’s _ clear _ Steve’s desperate for more. Billy looks like _ porn_, eyelashes brushing his cheekbones as he takes Steve apart, and he slides another finger in, presses up against Steve’s prostate. 

“_Fuck_,” Steve whines, and Billy laughs, breath hot on Steve’s skin. 

“I got you, princess, just be _ patient_,” he murmurs, and Steve has to close his eyes, Billy’s _ destroyed _ voice and the visual and the way Billy’s still pressing in against his prostate all adding up to something overwhelming, a tide that threatens to drag him under. He cries out against the sensations, and Billy tightens the fingers of his non-lubey hand around the base of Steve’s dick and stills his fingers inside Steve until it feels a little less like he’s going to lose it. 

“You _ good, _ princess?” Steve can _ hear _ the amusement in Billy’s voice, and he can’t help but make another shivery, whiny noise in protest, can’t help but buck his hips up towards Billy’s mouth. 

Billy’s eyes are _ dark _ as he takes Steve back in his mouth, pupils blown with weed and sex, and Steve lets his head loll back against the pillows, lets everything wash over him as Billy slips his fingers out, adds another. The stretch is a little harder this time, a spark of pain along with the pleasure, but Billy’s patient, goes slow until Steve’s rolling his hips in rhythm again, up into Billy’s mouth and back onto his fingers. Billy finds his prostate again, presses at it insistently until Steve’s vision goes blurry with pleasure. 

“Billy--’m gonna--” he can hear himself saying, far away like he’s down a well or something, and Billy pulls back, uses his hand to finish Steve off. He comes so hard that his abs _ ache _ with the strain, knows he’s babbling _ something _ but can’t hear himself over the roaring of blood in his ears. 

Billy pulls his fingers out slow, strips off the glove with his other hand. He collapses half on top of Steve, pets at Steve’s side with a clumsy hand. 

“_God_, princess, you’re so _ pretty _ when you come,” Billy says, bites at Steve’s nipple and chuckles when Steve curls away from his mouth, still _ way _ too sensitive. “Wanna make you come _ forever_.” Steve feels him tense up, but, like, he _ gets it _, like, he feels the same fucking way. 

“I don’ wanna inflate your fucking ego any more,” Steve sighs, “But I’m pretty sure the first time you get your dick in me I’m gonna actually, like, _ die_.” Billy laughs, teeth glancing against Steve’s skin. 

“We’re compatible as _ shit_,” Billy grins, all self-satisfied, and Steve laughs, leans up to kiss him. 

They’re just laying there in the afterglow, drinking water to stave off their potential hangovers and half-dozing, when all of a sudden both of their phones start going _ crazy_. Billy grunts, slaps at the shit on his desk until he lands on his phone. 

Rivsy

_ You guys MISSD IT _

_ ROBIN PUNCHED A SAE IN THE THROAT _

The Key

_ MY MOM THRAOTPUNCHED A GUY _

_ #SOPROUD _

_ (lady_gaga_talented_brilliant.gif) _

Diamante

_ Check yr insta dms _

_ I got it on film!!!!!!! _

_ (Gonna delete it if the asshole tries to press charges tho obv) _

“What the _ fuck? _ ” Billy asks, propping himself up on one elbow. _ What the fuck????? _ he sends. 

Rivsy

_ U kno tat shitty SAE who tried to start shit when I brought that girl to the formal last year, Chad or Brad or Vlad or wtfEVER?? _

_ He tried to hit on Robin and when _

_ She said she was there with Barb, the guy called them the d-slur _

_ And out lil BABEY broke his fuckin’ nose _

The Key (key emoji)

_ Yeah Robin wwas hard as FUCK _

_ I wanted to knock his stupid bigot ass out but Rivs and Gemmy held me bakc _

Diamante

_ Uhhh _

_ Billy u wanna come by the Phi Delt house nd grab us? We left before the guy could point us out to anybody but he’s talking to the cop outside now and we’re pretty easy to spot out on the sidewalk_

“_Fuck,_ alright, get dressed,” Billy grunts, standing up. “We gotta go get ‘em, I don’t have goddamn bail money for all those idiots.” 

“I hope everybody’s okay, shit,” Steve worries as he’s slipping his shoes on, laces still tied. 

“Robin’s probably gonna be all shaken up, she kinda forgets how shitty people can be sometimes. Is--has Barb ever dealt with this shit like that?” Billy looks awkward, like he’s worried about saying something stupid. Steve can’t help but lean over to kiss him, so full of _ affection _ he could burst. 

“Yeah, but she’s probably gonna be a little anxious, too,” Steve answers, grimacing. “We should all hang out for a while, probably, she gets all mother-henny when she’s nervous, _ especially _ when she gets drunk.” 

“Waffle House?” Billy suggests as they jog down the stairs towards the parking lot. “Get some carbs in everybody, make sure everybody’s stoned enough that they won’t lose it?”

“Barb only eats IHOP,” Steve counters, and Billy sighs, wrinkles his nose like _ gross _. 

“IHOP it is, I guess.” 

Steve buckles in, reaches over to grab Billy’s hand across the gearshift. Billy looks _ good _ , driving a getaway car, especially when there’s four girls, all drunk as shit, all trying to explain what happened at the same time, and he doesn’t even _ flinch_, just turns on his blinker and runs his thumb over the bumps of Steve’s knuckles. 

They all stuff themselves with pancakes and hashbrowns and everyone ignores the streaks of mascara down Robin’s cheeks and the way Barb’s mouth puckers when Steve asks if she’s okay. It feels wrong, to make everybody go their separate ways after something like that, so Rivka offers up her living room floor, takes all the cushions off the couch and piles blanket after blanket on the greying carpet to make a giant bed. They sleep curled up in a giant puppy pile, Barb squeezing Steve’s hand like he’s going to run away in the night and Robin wrapped around her so close they _ must _ be too hot.

* * *

The next morning, Steve wakes to Billy’s nose cold against his throat and the smell of bacon and coffee. He drags himself up, disentangles from Billy to see Gemma standing over the stove, a giant mug in her hand. 

  
“Need help?” he asks, voice hushed, and she sends him to the store for extra shredded cheese and canned biscuits. They eat sitting on the floor, all curled up in their blankets, and Steve feels like _ home_, the way he feels when he’s got all the kids safe at his house the morning after a D&D sleepover, the way he feels when he wakes up on Nancy and Barb’s overstuffed old couch to Jonathan whistling along to some cheery playlist after a long night. It’s good, even if Robin’s still skittish and Barb gets twitchy if Robin’s out of her sight for more than thirty seconds. Kali and Billy get into some stupid fake fight, wrestle among the blankets until Billy accidentally kicks Rivka’s coffee over on the carpet and Robin and Barb both laugh out loud.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi angles!! A few notes for you:
> 
>   * The title comes from _Familiar_, by Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment. it's a very cute song and Chance the Rapper's on it!
>   * Bon Appetit's video content is aces and I love it, please go check out their youtube if you haven't already!
>   * Nancy's quesadilla quest is based on a friend of mine who for about six months of her life would get stoned and INSIST on trying to make the best nachos of all time. (Her nachos are, to be fair, the best nachos I've ever had, to this day.)
>   * The song Kali plays for Billy is [Short Kings Anthem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqIzIkJbvq8), by Tiny Meat Gang and Blackbear. TMG is two dudes who were famous on Vine and are now Youtubers, but it fucking slaps, honestly. I told somebody I was gonna have to put it in a fic about Billy because it's _so fucking funny_ to think of Kali low-key bullying Billy with it all the time. 
>   * The gif Kali sends to the groupchat is based on [this incredible video of Lady Gaga](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBk0P27QGmc) and I can't stop referencing it in my own life.
>   * For that matter, in case anyone was curious or confused, Kali is "The Key" (she's in Robin's phone as DJ Kalid, a play on DJ Khaled, and DJ Khaled's all about the keys), Gemma is "Diamante" (from the French for diamond, sort of), and Rivka is Rivsy, mostly because MAN it's a hard name to make nicknames with lmao.
>   * Big fucking props to u/sightetsound for listening to me YELL about this 'verse and so many other things in my life; you the real MVP, honestly.
>   * The pregaming part of this fic was written while listening to [U.S. Summer Hits of the 90s](https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX4uU3TGzIPXL?si=ZyxJertLQDi0f_G0GZ9D5Q) and this playlist S L A P S. 10/10 nostalgia factor, would recommend.
>   * The likelihood that IRL frat boys are gonna (a) be as into safer sex as Billy is and (b) as consent-aware as Steve and Billy are re: being drunk is really goddamn low, esp. because college kids are not always known for being as consent-aware as they should be, so take that with a grain of salt/some suspension of disbelief.
>   * Kali as a srat girl is based on one of my best friends, who was in a sorority and one time broke three of a dude's fingers in a bar because he tried to feel up one of her friends WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT OR GETTING CAUGHT???
> 
> Oh, if anything is unclear re: frat stuff and/or you see something you'd like tagged/warned for, as always PLEASE let me know so I can clarify/add tags/warnings! You guys are so so great and I'm so fucking psyched that so many of y'all like this 'verse. Hella kisses from me to y'all.


End file.
